Tuesday, October 7, 2008, Shawwal 7, 1429    

PM asks NATO not to challenge Pak sovereignty

Sharafat Kazmi

Islamabad—Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked NATO forces not to challenge the sovereignty of Pakistan by saying that no foreign interference would be tolerated at borders areas.

The Prime Minister expressed these views while talking to visiting Military Joint Chief of Staff to President of France, Admiral Edward Gillard and in a telephonic conversation with the Prime Minister of Poland.

The Prime Minister during the talks emphasized that effective steps are being taken to eradicate the scourge of terrorism, as Pakistan is an important ally in war on terror.

According to sources, ambit of issues ranging from provision of necessary requirements for Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear Programme and issues pertaining to further improve defence relations between Pakistan and France were discussed during the meeting with French Chief of Staff Committee.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on the occasion asked the NATO forces not to challenge Pakistan’s sovereignty and if they should share any information if they have. The Prime Minister further said that only Pakistani forces can take action inside its territories.

French Chief of Staff Committee, Admiral Edward Gillard during the meeting assured Yousuf Raza Gilani of France support for the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and the defence relations between the two countries would be further enhanced.

The French Chief of Staff Committee on the occasion delivered a message of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to the Prime Minister.

An official handout said, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani while welcoming the French statements that every country has the right for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful civilian purposes expressed the hope that France will extend its technical assistance to Pakistan in this field for meeting its energy requirement.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with France which is among its leading trading and development partners in the EU, and urged that the Strategic Consultations between the two countries should soon be resumed to take this relationship to new heights.

The Prime Minister stressed that Pakistan is seeking greater market access to the EU, preferably in the form of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), especially since the EU has started FTA negotiations with India and all other countries in South Asia. Leaving out Pakistan is discriminatory, he added.

While referring to President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent useful meeting with President Sarkozi in New York on the sidelines of the 63rd UN General Assembly meeting, the Prime Minister welcomed President Sarkozi’s initiative to broaden the scope of engagement with Pakistan and further expanding the multifaceted ties. He hoped that President Sarkozi would undertake the visit to Pakistan by the end of this year.

The Prime Minister noted that the bilateral defence cooperation between Pakistan and France has progressed satisfactorily and Pakistan now has the largest worldwide fleet of Mirage III and V aircrafts. He appreciated the French assistance for assembling the AGOSTA submarine in Pakistan and expressed the hope that this cooperation will be expended further in the future.

Prime Minister also briefed the French delegation in detail about Pakistan’s efforts on war against terrorism and welcomed President Sarkozi’s stance that incursion of US and NATO forces in Pakistan’s territory will be counter productive.

Admiral Edouard Guillaud while convening his gratitude to the Prime Minister for receiving his delegation reiterated his Government’s policy of respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty. He said France wanted its relations with Pakistan to be again back on track. French troops were in Afghanistan to help Pakistan and not as substitute to Pakistan’s forces fighting against the terror on their soil, he said.

He agreed with the Prime Minister that a stable and peaceful Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s interest and stated that France wanted a strong democratic dispensation in Afghanistan to defeat the menace of extremism and terrorism in the region. Federal Minister for Defence, Mr. Ahmed Mukhtar also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that one of the main objectives of the terrorists is to destroy Pakistan’s economy by targeting the foreigners which has led to the flight of foreign businessmen from the country. He called upon the international community to show a better understanding of Pakistan’s situation to stop this exodus and defeat the nefarious motives of those extremists.

Prime Minister was talking to his Polish counterpart, Donald for Tusk who phoned him this afternoon to express the gratitude of his government Pakistan’s relentless efforts for the release of Polish Surveyor who was abducted on September 28th from Attock District.

Prime Minister apprised the Polish Prime Minister in detail of the security arrangements which had been made for the Polish engineers and surveyors of Geo-Fizyka Krakow Ltd, the briefings and advice given to the Polish firm’s employees not to venture out without the provided security detail which unfortunately was not heeded to by the Polish surveyor who was abducted and the joint operations being undertaken by the Pakistan’s security and intelligence agencies to trace his whereabouts and obtain his release.

He requested that his commiserations and sympathies be conveyed to victim’s family with the assurances that Pakistan Government is doing whatever is humanly possible to obtain his release.

Prime Minister Tusk profusely thanked the Prime Minister for Pakistan government’s efforts and stated that it would certainly be morale boosting for the Polish people to know what Pakistan is doing for their national’s release.

He acknowledged the fact that Pakistan is paying a heavy human and material price as a frontline state in the war against terror and assured the Prime Minister that Pakistan can count on Poland’s unconditional support in its unique situation. He told the Prime Minister that the government of Poland would be happy to assist Pakistan in any field particularly defence whenever required. He also promised to convey Prime Minister’s sentiments to Stanczak Piotr’s family.